Morning All,
Received a call last Monday from Boise stating they had a vehicle similar to my order on the lot and wondered if I was interested. With a few more bells and whistles than mine it was a pretty awesome set-up - Sela Green Fieldmaster, rough pack, high load aux switches etc. I agreed and have to admit Lyle Pearson gave me one of the most efficient purchase process I've experienced anywhere. Needless to say, purchase was completed remotely and I redirected my return flight from Missoula to Boise to pick up the vehicle and drive it back to Montana. Plane lands at noon, they pick me up, we go to see the vehicle, do the walk around and orientation and am in the road by 1:30p for the 390 mil trip. Normally I tend to ignore the sales persons vehicle orientation but this time wanted to make sure I understood everything. Jake my sales Ineos Specialist keyed me into some quirks that became valuable knowledge on the trip. The original plan had been for them to deliver it at the start of the Magruder road and drive it back across and into Montana. Alas, with the trail impassible due to snow, and not having any gear, I took the more traditional paved road back. Following the Payette River up, the Salmon River down, then making a right turn and heading over Lost Trail pass into my stomping grounds, I put almost 400 miles on it by the end of the day. The included steep mountains, winding two lane roads, rain, snow, sleet, mud, and just about everything in between. Through this, the only issues I had were of my own making - learning the vehicle. For instance, Not sure if it was the ETC or ESC but on slick surfaces - snow, ice, mud - it was actually a hinderance for me and made driving in adverse conditions worse until I turned them off. As much as Inios wants this to be a worldly all driving vehicle, be warned, it is very much a hard core, full time 4x4. This should not be in any way considered the same as all of the all wheel drive vehicles out there. The suspension is softer so there is more roll. The steering is looser - I have about an inch of play in the steering - that made this long trip much more work that I've had to deal with in awhile. Trying to get a feel for the vehicle, instead of doing my planned switch I took the Fieldmaster out for two days of fly fishing - off to dirt roads, mud, slush, and snow once again. It truly is at it's best tooling around off the asphalt on rough surfaces. Converse to the comment above about it being more work on the road, off road, it takes away the work and effort. The engine has been smooth and full of power no matter what I've thrown at it so overall, very much a joy. I'm just not sure my wife will ever enjoy driving it with the roll and active effort needed to keep it on the road.
I'd highly recommend the heated windshield washer jets if you're planning on much driving in the snow. If it's sticking, the flat windshield reduces clearing and it builds up.
From stomping grounds in Southwest Montana Cheers!
Poorfly fan - Darby MT
Received a call last Monday from Boise stating they had a vehicle similar to my order on the lot and wondered if I was interested. With a few more bells and whistles than mine it was a pretty awesome set-up - Sela Green Fieldmaster, rough pack, high load aux switches etc. I agreed and have to admit Lyle Pearson gave me one of the most efficient purchase process I've experienced anywhere. Needless to say, purchase was completed remotely and I redirected my return flight from Missoula to Boise to pick up the vehicle and drive it back to Montana. Plane lands at noon, they pick me up, we go to see the vehicle, do the walk around and orientation and am in the road by 1:30p for the 390 mil trip. Normally I tend to ignore the sales persons vehicle orientation but this time wanted to make sure I understood everything. Jake my sales Ineos Specialist keyed me into some quirks that became valuable knowledge on the trip. The original plan had been for them to deliver it at the start of the Magruder road and drive it back across and into Montana. Alas, with the trail impassible due to snow, and not having any gear, I took the more traditional paved road back. Following the Payette River up, the Salmon River down, then making a right turn and heading over Lost Trail pass into my stomping grounds, I put almost 400 miles on it by the end of the day. The included steep mountains, winding two lane roads, rain, snow, sleet, mud, and just about everything in between. Through this, the only issues I had were of my own making - learning the vehicle. For instance, Not sure if it was the ETC or ESC but on slick surfaces - snow, ice, mud - it was actually a hinderance for me and made driving in adverse conditions worse until I turned them off. As much as Inios wants this to be a worldly all driving vehicle, be warned, it is very much a hard core, full time 4x4. This should not be in any way considered the same as all of the all wheel drive vehicles out there. The suspension is softer so there is more roll. The steering is looser - I have about an inch of play in the steering - that made this long trip much more work that I've had to deal with in awhile. Trying to get a feel for the vehicle, instead of doing my planned switch I took the Fieldmaster out for two days of fly fishing - off to dirt roads, mud, slush, and snow once again. It truly is at it's best tooling around off the asphalt on rough surfaces. Converse to the comment above about it being more work on the road, off road, it takes away the work and effort. The engine has been smooth and full of power no matter what I've thrown at it so overall, very much a joy. I'm just not sure my wife will ever enjoy driving it with the roll and active effort needed to keep it on the road.
I'd highly recommend the heated windshield washer jets if you're planning on much driving in the snow. If it's sticking, the flat windshield reduces clearing and it builds up.
From stomping grounds in Southwest Montana Cheers!
Poorfly fan - Darby MT
